Bavarian Forest and Šumava National Parks: On the way to transboundary wildlife management and conservation?
Abstract
Abstract The landscape of Central Europe has been shaped by humans for centuries. One of the less affected areas is the Bohemian Forest, located along the border of Germany (Bavaria), Austria, and Czechia.
The Bohemian Forest ecosystem is protected as national parks in Bavaria and Czechia. Bavarian Forest and Šumava National Parks (NPs) together form one of the largest protected forested areas in Central Europe.
However, both NPs differ in management, history and geography. Therefore, wildlife management measures (winter enclosures, feeding, hunting, law) were compared to reveal differences and similarities and red and roe deer densities were analysed as well.
They represent abundant species with impact on vegetation. These measures are important for further harmonization of management.
It is concluded that differences and obstacles for harmonization stem from a different legislation in both NPs, which causes that some measures cannot be applied in Šumava National Park in same way as in Bavarian Forest National Park, and it also stems from different development of management and nature protection in both NPs. On the other hand, there can be joint projects which can coordinate management.
For example, the returning wolf (Canis lupus) is a good opportunity to enlarge transboundary non-intervention area.